In self-storage, I'm sure every facility has had a brush with theft at least once (please correct me if I'm wrong). No matter how many security lights and cameras you put up, the sad truth is that your business is a big conglomeration of stuff, and criminals know that and they sometimes find a way to get into units -- or they try to get into units and are caught in the act.

But after hearing of a few recent armed robberies in my neighborhood (Welcome to Chicago! When the sun comes out, the guns come out!), I am wondering if any of you have had someone enter your facility or office and blatantly rob the facility, using a weapon.

Were you working when it happened? What was the situation? What time of day was it? Did the robber want into a unit or did they want cash? Was the police investigation/intervention helpful?

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John Carlisle
Community Manager, Self-Storage Talk
Online Content Editor, Business Solutions Network
VIRGO
jcarlisle at vpico dot com
480-990-1101, x1214

Fortunately, I've not had this come up.

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Consistency- It's only a virtue if you're not a screwup

Knock on wood --- we have always been safe here ...... it may have something to do with a manager that has a bad attitude when it comes to security.

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Wayne
Jamestown, ND


All arguments can be resolved ... with high explosives and Humor!!!

I've never actually had any unit thefts, but we had someone break into our apartment on-site, when we lived in Oakland.

It was 2am and we heard what sounded like a gunshot through the front window of our apartment, and called the police when we found the window was shattered.

After the police came out, and subsequently left, the thief came back to our front window to break in. We were still awake, and still kinda freaked out. I was sitting on the couch and saw the man trying to get in, with a great big tire iron in his hand.

I screamed and my hubs jumped up, and scared the crap outta him. I don't think that he thought anyone was home.

Fortunately our son, who was 8 at the time, slept through the whole thing.

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What lies behind us, and what lies before us, are small matters compared to what lies within us!

Shannon

YIKES! That's scary, shae.

SHAE!! That is frightening!!

I have never had a problem at our storage facility. No break ins thank goodness. I have however been a victim of a home invasion/burglary TWICE! Fortunately, we were not home the first time and discoverd the crime afterwards. Then several years later I was home and someone tried to get in. I had to call the police and then I ran out the back door and hid in the back yard til they got there. They were running thru my house with guns just like on TV Shows!! They did tell me that getting out of the house was the smartest thing I could have done!

I don't think you really ever get over being a victim of crime...

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By permission from Auto Doc

All arguments can be resolved ... with high explosives and Humor!!!

Nope, you sure don't. You become much more AWARE of everything around you!

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What lies behind us, and what lies before us, are small matters compared to what lies within us!

Shannon

Have never had a break-in here but when I was a site auditor for a now defunct management company I visited a facility in the mountains of North Carolina that had been victimized numerous times. Facility was a non-residence and the locals knew it and would break into units not under camera surveliance once a month. Finally convinced the owners to install additional cameras and repair the gate so it did not stand open all day. First month after these measures were taken the police managed to arrest four locals and the break-ins stopped. My only encounter with an armed robbery was when I operated a service station back in the sixties, the criminal was more frightened than I was and dropped his weapon as he was leaving, giving the police a nice set of fingerprints to catch him by.

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The End Is Near!